When you think of Indiana sports, you think of Peyton Manning and high school basketball. But hockey? That rarely comes to mind even though several minor league teams have called the state home and the Great One himself started his professional career in Indianapolis.

Despite the limited interest in the state, there have been players who haven't let that stand between them and playing the game at its highest level. Here are 12 former and current players who have made it to "The Show", aka the NHL, with roots in the Hoosier state:

1. Alfie Turcotte

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Alfie Turcotte gets a hit from a water bottle between workouts during Indianapolis Ice's first practice of the year.(Photo: Frank Epsich/IndyStar)

Turcotte was born in Gary in 1965, but his father's work as a hockey coach later took the family took the family to Michigan. Turcotte was a highly recruited prospected, getting drafted 17th in the first round of the 1983 NHL Draft behind legends like Pat LaFontaine, Steve Yzerman and Cam Neely.

His career was spent with the Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals, but was in large spent bouncing between those franchises and their AHL-affiliates. After the 1990-91 season, Turcotte began playing in European leagues. The center did return to Indiana to play 17 games with the Indianapolis Ice in the 1997-98 season. He retired from professional hockey two years later.

Starting in 1994, Klee began his career with the Washington Capitals, playing a total of 934 games during 16 seasons in the league. Despite being a defenseman, 13 of his 55 career goals were game-winners, the highest percentage in NHL history**

After retiring from playing, Klee became head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team, and recently became an assistant with the Syracuse Crunch in the AHL.

3. Dale Purinton

New York Rangers' Dale Purinton, left, and Toronto Maple Leafs' Tie Domi (28) each earn a two-minute roughing penalty for fighting in the first period, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2000 at Madison Square Garden in New York.(Photo: Ron Frehm, AP)

Purinton was born in Fort Wayne in 1976 while his dad was playing for the Fort Wayne Komets. He inherited the enforcer mentality from his father Cal, one of the all-time leaders in penalty minutes for the franchise.

A New York Times article from 2000 referred to Purinton as "heavy metal on ice." He was brought in to bring a physical presence to the New York Rangers. He embraced the role, stacking up 578 penalty minutes in 181 games, including a fight against another Indiana native on this list, Donald Brashear (watch their fight below).

After being sent down to the minors in the 2003-04 season, Purinton retired from playing in 2008. He's since become a coach in a junior hockey league in British Columbia, Canada.

4. Mike McNeil

Despite being born out of state, McNeil was the first player to make the NHL to actually grow up playing hockey in Indiana. He played in the South Bend-area program and for St. Joseph High School before joining the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

After being drafted in 1988, McNeil spent time with the Fort Wayne Komets and Indianapolis Ice. He was named playoff MVP after leading the Ice to the 1990 Turner Cup title.

The forward was called up to play 23 games with the Blackhawks during his time with the Ice until being traded to the Quebec Nordiques. McNeil is now back in Indiana, helping to develop youth hockey in South Bend and volunteering as a coaching with the Fighting Irish.

5. Donald Brashear

Donald Brashear skates during a team warm-up at GM Place prior to a game in Vancouver Oct. 21, 2000.(Photo: Chuck Stoody, AP)

Still, Brashear fought his way into a spot in the NHL. He entered the league in the 1993-94 season with the Montreal Canadiens, having to almost immediately live up to his role as a fighter by facing off against tough guy Bob Probert of the Detroit Red Wings. In his 18 seasons, Brashear established himself as one of the most intimidating enforcers in the league.

During a game in 2000, Brashear fought against Marty McSorley. As the game continued, McSorley continued to try to fight Brashear again, but Brashear refused. WIth seconds left in the game, McSorley used his stick to hit Brashear in the side of the head, causing his head to bounce on the ice (watch Brashear recount the experience below).

Despite suffering a grade three concussion, Brashear returned to the NHL the next season. He played until the 2009-10 with the New York Rangers, finishing a career of 1,000+ games and being ranked 15th all-time in penalty minutes with 2,634.

6. Fred Knipscheer

Knipscheer was born in 1969 in Fort Wayne and grew up in the community, later playing for Snider High School. He was picked up by the Boston Bruins after being undrafted in the 1993-94 season.

He saw limited action with the Bruins and St. Louis Bruins until 1995 when he was sent to the minors. He played for several minor league teams, including the Indianapolis Ice during the 1996-97 season, until retiring in 2000.

7. Mike Farrell

Farrell was born in Minnesota in 1978, but grew up in Carmel, later attending and playing hockey at Culver Military Academy He was drafted in 1998, but didn't see time in the NHL until the 2001-02 season. He played a total of 13 games in the NHL, with the majority of his career being played in the minors.

8. John-Michael Liles

(Photo: The Associated Press)

Liles was born in Indianapolis in 1980, growing up playing on ice rinks in Central Indiana. That doesn't mean he wasn't true to his Hoosier roots.

"Basketball and football were, for the most part, what we played," Liles told the Denver Post in 2007. "But then I played hockey on the weekend with my other buddies."

Liles was drafted in 2000 after playing college hockey at Michigan State University, where he was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist. He began his career in the NHL in the 2003-04 season, playing for the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricane and Boston Bruins for 14 seasons. Liles recently retired from the game after being restricted by injuries in the 2016-17 season.

11. Zach Trotman

Trotman was born in Carmel in 1990, but like many players on this list, moved to Michigan at a young age. He made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins after defenseman Dennis Seidenberg suffered a season-ending injury in 2013 but only played two games with that team that season.

But Trotman played full seasons with the Bruins the next two years, before signing with the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent in 2016. He was assigned to their AHL franchise shortly thereafter.

During the summer of 2017, Trotman signed as a free agent with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. He was similarly assigned to the team's AHL squad.